Hybrid carrot variety nun 85190

ABSTRACT

The present invention relates to plants of a carrot variety NUN 85190 and seeds and progeny thereof. The invention further relates to methods for producing a carrot plant by traditional breeding methods. The invention further relates to a method for producing a carrot plant containing in its genetic material one or more transgenes.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to the field of plant breeding. Inparticular, the invention provides for a new and distinct carrot varietydesignated NUN 85190 (or “NUN 85190 CAC” or “85190” or NUN 85190 hybridor 85190 F1, or NUN 85190 F1.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Carrot is a biennial plant that grows a rosette of leaves in the springand summer, while building up the stout taproot, which stores largeamounts of sugars for the plant to flower in the second year. Theflowering stem grows several decimeters (e.g. 60-200 cm) tall, with anumbel of white flowers that produce a fruit called a mericarp.

Carrot (Daucus carota subsp. sativus), is a root vegetable, usuallyorange in colour, though purple, red, white, and yellow varieties exist.It has a crisp texture when fresh. The most commonly eaten part of acarrot is a taproot, although the greens are edible as well. It is adomesticated form of the wild carrot Daucus carota, native to Europe andsouthwestern Asia. The domestic carrot has been selectively bred for itsgreatly enlarged and more palatable, less woody-textured edible taproot.The world production of carrots and turnips for calendar year 2011 wasalmost 35.658 million tonnes (Food and Agriculture Organization of theUnited Nations (FAO)).

Vegetable breeder's aim is to combine desirable traits in a singlevariety. Such desirable traits may include any trait deemed beneficialby a grower and/or consumer, including greater yield, resistance toinsects or disease, tolerance to environmental stress, and nutritionalvalue.

A uniform population of a breeding line can be obtained byself-pollination and selection for type. Plants thus obtained becomehomozygous at almost all gene loci, i.e. a homozygous plant. Crossingtwo such plants of different genotypes produces a uniform population ofhybrid plants that are heterozygous for many loci. On the other hand, across of two plants each heterozygous at a number of loci produces apopulation of plants that differ genetically and are not uniform. Due tothis non-uniformity, performance of such plants is unpredictable.

Breeders thus prefer development of homozygous inbred plant that can becrossed to produce uniform varieties. Pedigree breeding and recurrentselection are examples of breeding methods that have been used todevelop inbred plants from breeding populations. Those breeding methodscombine the genetic backgrounds from two or more plants or various otherbroad-based sources into breeding pools from which new lines and hybridsderived therefrom are developed by selfing and selection of desiredphenotypes. The new lines and hybrids are evaluated to determine whichof those have commercial potential.

So far, breeding efforts have provided a number of useful carrot lineswith beneficial traits, however, there remains a great need in the artfor new lines with further improved traits. There is thus a need for newcarrot varieties having specific combination of trait or color.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The objective of the invention was to develop an Danvers type varietywith an orange skin. The present invention provides seed of a new orangecarrot (Daucus carota) variety, designated NUN 85190, having beendeposited under Accession Number NCIMB ______, a plant, or a partthereof, produced by growing said seed. The invention also providesmethods and compositions relating to plants, plant parts, seeds andprogenies of carrot variety NUN 85190.

Variety NUN 85190 is most similar to comparison variety BIG SUR.However, NUN 85190 differs from BIG SUR in one or more, e.g., at leasttwo, at least three, optionally all morphological and/or physiologicalcharacteristics listed in the following (see also Table 1), when grownunder the same environmental conditions:

-   -   a (average) carrot length (minus taproot) that is at least about        15%, or preferably at least about 16%, 17%, 18%, 19%, 20%, 21%,        22% or even about 22.2% longer than the root core thickness of        BIG SUR;    -   a (average) cortex (phloem) thickness (midpoint cross-section)        that is at least about 5%, or preferably at least about 8%, 10%,        12%, 13%, 14%, or even about 14.9% smaller than the root cortex        thickness of BIG SUR;    -   a (average) core (xylem) thickness (midpoint cross-section) that        is at least about 5%, or preferably at least about 6%, 7%, 8%,        9% or even about 10% larger than the root cortex thickness of        BIG SUR;    -   a (average) length of taproot that is at least about 10%, or        preferably at least about 12.5%, 15%, 16%, 17%, 18%, 19%, 20% or        even about 20.9% longer than the length of taproot of BIG SUR;    -   a (average) plant top height (from shoulder to top of crown at        harvest stage) that is at least about 10%, or preferably about        12.5%, 15%, 16%, 17%, 18%, 19% or even about 20% larger than the        plant top height of BIG SUR

The present invention provides a carrot plant variety designated NUN85190, representative seed of said variety having been deposited underNCIMB/ATCC Accession Number ______, and plant parts of the new varietysuch as for example seed, leaf, pollen, an ovule, taproot, root and acell of the plant.

The invention also concerns the seed of hybrid carrot NUN 85190,representative seed of said variety having been deposited underAccession Number NCIMB ______, a plant, or a part thereof, produced bygrowing said seed. Or carrot plants having all or essentially all thephysiological and morphological characteristics of NUN 85190.

The invention further relates to breeding methods using plants or seedof carrot variety NUN 85190 .

Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention willbecome apparent from the following detailed description. It should beunderstood, however, that the detailed description and any specificexamples provided, while indicating specific embodiments of theinvention, are given by way of illustration only, since various changesand modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention willbecome apparent to those skilled in the art from this detaileddescription.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a carrot plant variety designated NUN85190, representative seed of said variety having been deposited underNCIMB/ATCC Accession Number ______, and plant parts of the new varietysuch as for example seed, leaf, pollen, an ovule, taproot, root and acell of the plant. In another aspect, the plant parts include leaf,pollen, an ovule, taproot, root and a cell of the plant. In yet anotheraspect, the plant part is a root. Also provided are carrot plants havingall or essentially all the physiological and morphologicalcharacteristics of such a plant, i.e. a carrot plant that does notdiffer (statistically) significantly from NUN 85190 in the morphologicaland/or physiological characteristics of Table 1, when grown under thesame conditions.

The invention also concerns the seed of hybrid carrot NUN 85190,representative seed of said variety having been deposited underAccession Number NCIMB ______, a plant, or a part thereof, produced bygrowing said seed. In another aspect, the invention relates to carrotplants having all or essentially all the physiological and morphologicalcharacteristics of NUN 85190 when grown under the same conditions. Thecarrot seed of the invention (i.e. seed from which a plant of varietyNUN 85190 can be grown) may be provided as an essentially homogeneouspopulation of carrot seed according to the invention. Essentiallyhomogeneous populations of seed are generally free from substantialnumbers of other seed. Therefore, seed of hybrid NUN 85190 or carrotplants having all or essentially all the physiological and morphologicalcharacteristics of NUN 85190 may be defined as forming at least about97% of the total seed, including at least about 98%, 99% or more of theseed. The seed population may be separately grown to provide anessentially homogeneous population of carrot plants according to theinvention. Also provided are plants or plant parts such as seed(produced on the plant NUN 85190, e.g. after self-pollination orcross-pollination by another carrot plant), leaf, pollen, an ovule,taproot, roots or a cell produced by growing the seeds of the invention.In yet another aspect, the plant part is a root.

In another aspect the invention relates to an Essentially DerivedVariety of NUN 85190 having at least one, two or three physiologicaland/or morphological characteristics which are (statisticallysignificantly) different from those of NUN 85190 and which otherwise hasessentially all physiological and morphological characteristics of acarrot plant designated NUN 85190, a representative sample of seeds ofwhich having been deposited under Accession Number NCIMB ______ or PTA______.

In another aspect, the invention relates to an Essentially DerivedVariety of NUN 85190 having at least one or two physiological and/ormorphological characteristics which are significantly different fromthose of NUN 85190 and which otherwise comprises at least 3, 4 or 5 ormore (or all) of the distinguishing characteristics 1) -5), orpreferably at least 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 or all 10 of the distinguishingcharacteristics 1)-10) of NUN 85190 and/or has essentially allphysiological and morphological characteristics of a carrot plantdesignated NUN 85190 obtainable by selecting a natural or inducedmutant, or a somaclonal variant from a population of plants designatedNUN 85190.

In still another aspect, a carrot plant, or a part thereof, is providedwhich does not significantly differ in distinguishing characteristics1)-5) of carrot plant NUN 85190 when grown under the same conditions. Inyet another aspect, the invention relates to a carrot plant, or a partthereof, which does not significantly differ in distinguishingcharacteristics 1)-5) and additionally comprises (i.e. does not differstatistically significantly in) at least one, two, three or all ofdistinguishing characteristics 6)-10) of carrot plant NUN 85190 whengrown under the same conditions.

In yet another aspect, the invention relates to a carrot plant, or apart thereof, which does not differ significantly from carrot plant NUN85190 in any of the physiological and morphological characteristics ofTable 1 when grown under the same conditions.

In another aspect the invention relates to a carrot plant, or a partthereof, which does not significantly differ from carrot plant NUN 85190in any of the distinguishing characteristics consisting of 1) averageroot core thickness (midpoint cross-section), 2) average root cortexthickness (midpoint cross-section), 3) average length of taproot, 4)average diameter at midpoint, 5) average market maturity, when grownunder the same conditions.

In still another aspect, a carrot plant is provided, which statisticallysignificantly differs from NUN 85190 in at least one morphologicaland/or physiological characteristic, but which does not differsignificantly from NUN 85190 in the following characteristics (see USDAdescriptor) when grown under the same conditions: 1) average carrotlength (minus taproot), 2) average cortex (phloem) thickness (midpointcross-section), 3) average core (xylem) thickness (midpointcross-section), 4) average length of taproot and 5) average height ofplant top (from shoulder to crown at harvest stage).)

In a further aspect, a carrot plant is provided, which statisticallysignificantly differs from NUN 85190 in at least one morphologicaland/or physiological characteristics, but which does not differsignificantly from NUN 85190 in the following characteristics when grownunder the same conditions: 1) average carrot length (minus taproot), 2)average cortex (phloem) thickness (midpoint cross-section), 3) averagecore (xylem) thickness (midpoint cross-section), 4) average length oftaproot and 5) average height of plant top (from shoulder to crown atharvest stage); and which further does not significantly differ from theplant designated NUN 85190 in one, two, three or more of the followingcharacteristics when grown under the same conditions: 6) plant top habit(at harvest stage), 7) petiole length from crown to first pinna, 8)halo, 9) zoning, 10) leaf blade color, and 11) brix level.

In a further embodiment a carrot plant is provided, which (statisticallysignificantly) differs from the carrot plant designated NUN 85190,representative seeds of said carrot plant having been deposited underaccession number NCIMB ______, in at least one, two, three, four, orfive morphological and/or physiological characteristics when grown underthe same environmental conditions, whereby the morphological and/orphysiological characteristics are those of Table 1. The carrot plantdoes, thus, not differ in a statistically significant way from NUN 85190in any of the morphological and/or physiological characteristics ofTable 1 when grown under the same conditions, or only differs is one,two, three, four or five of the morphological and/or physiologicalcharacteristics of Table 1, while there is no significant difference inthe other characteristics.

In one embodiment a carrot plant is provided, designated NUN 85190,which does not (statistically significantly) differ in any of themorphological and/or physiological characteristics of Table 1 fromplants grown from seeds deposited under accession number NCIMB ______when grown under the same environmental conditions.

In yet another aspect of the invention, a tissue culture or cell-cultureof regenerable cells of a carrot plant according to the invention isprovided. The tissue culture or cell-culture will preferably be capableof regenerating carrot plants capable of expressing all of thephysiological and morphological characteristics of the starting plant,and of regenerating plants having substantially the same genotype as thestarting plant. Examples of some of the physiological and morphologicalcharacteristics of the hybrid NUN 85190 include those traits set forthin Table 1 herein when grown under the environmental conditions outlinedherein with reference to the data of Table 1. The regenerable cells insuch tissue or cell cultures may be derived, for example, from carrotexplants, such as embryos, meristems, petioles, cuttings, protoplasts,cotyledons, pollen, leaves, nodes, anthers, roots, taproots, root tips,pistils, flowers, seed, stalks and stems. Still further, the presentinvention provides carrot plants regenerated from a tissue culture ofthe invention. These plants have all the physiological and morphologicalcharacteristics of a plant according to the invention.

In another aspect, the above described carrot plants are obtainable fromin vitro cell or tissue cultures. As already elsewhere in thisapplication, in vitro cell or tissue cultures are known in the art andcan be used to either vegetatively reproduce the plant from which thecells or tissues were obtained or to identify and/or select a phenotypicvariant (such as an EDV), and to regenerate such a variant. Thephenotypic variant may, for example, be a somaclonal variant, mutant oroff-type, but is preferably genetically stable. Thus, the variantphenotype is preferably genetically stable, also in the mature plantsregenerated from the cell or tissue culture. That means, the phenotypicvariant does not show variation in phenotype which are transient and arenot genetically stable. Once selected, such selected variants can thenin turn also be reproduced true to type using in vitro cell or tissueculture or by propagation via seed.

Thus in one aspect, a carrot plant is provided which is clonallypropagated (it is a vegetative reproduction) from NUN 85190 cells ortissue and which comprises all the distinguishing characteristics of NUN85190 when grown under the same environmental conditions. In anotheraspect it further comprises one or more of the further distinguishingcharacteristics. In yet another aspect it comprises all morphologicaland/or physiological characteristics of NUN 85190 as given in Table 1.And in yet a further aspect it comprises all morphological and/orphysiological characteristics of NUN 85190 as given in Table 1, exceptthat it significantly differs from NUN 85190 in one, two, three, four,or five of the morphological and/or physiological characteristics ofTable 1.

The invention also concerns methods of vegetatively propagating a plantof the invention. In certain embodiments, the method comprises the stepsof: (a) collecting tissue or cells capable of being propagated from aplant of the invention; (b) cultivating said tissue or cells to obtainproliferated shoots; and (c) rooting said proliferated shoots, to obtainrooted plantlets. Steps (b) and (c) may also be reversed, i.e. firstcultivating said tissue to obtain roots and then cultivating the tissueto obtain shoots, thereby obtaining rooted plantlets. The rootedplantlets may then be further grown, to obtain plants. In oneembodiment, the method further comprises step (d) growing plants fromsaid rooted plantlets.

In still yet another aspect of the invention, processes are provided forproducing carrot seeds, plants and roots, which processes generallycomprise crossing a first parent carrot plant with a second parentcarrot plant, wherein at least one of the first or second parent carrotplants is a plant according to the invention.

One embodiment of the invention refers to a method of producing a carrotplant comprising crossing a carrot plant of variety NUN 85190 with asecond carrot plant one or more times such as one, two, three, four,five, six or more times. This method comprises in one embodimentselecting progeny from said crossing.

These processes may be further exemplified as processes for preparinghybrid carrot seed or plants, wherein a first carrot plant is crossedwith a second carrot plant of a different, distinct genotype to providea hybrid that has, as one of its parents, a plant of NUN 85190.

The present invention also provides the carrot seeds and plants producedby a process that comprises crossing a first parent carrot plant with asecond parent carrot plant, wherein at least one of the first or secondparent carrot plants is a plant provided herein, such as from varietyNUN 85190. In another embodiment of the invention, carrot seed andplants produced by the process are first filial generation (F1) carrotseed and plants produced by crossing a plant in accordance with theinvention with another, distinct plant. The present invention furthercontemplates plant parts of such an F1 hybrid carrot plant, and methodsof use thereof. Therefore, certain exemplary embodiments of theinvention provide an F1 hybrid carrot plant and seed thereof.

In another embodiment of the invention, carrot variety NUN 85190 iscrossed to produce hybrid seed of the variety designated NUN 85190. Inany cross herein, either parent may be the male or female parent. Inthese processes, crossing will result in the production of seed. Theseed production occurs regardless of whether the seed is collected ornot.

In certain embodiments, the invention provides methods of introducing adesired trait into a carrot plant comprising the steps of:

-   -   (a) crossing a plant of variety NUN 85190 with a second carrot        plant that comprises a desired trait to produce F1 progeny,    -   (b) selecting an F1 progeny that comprises the desired trait(s),        e.g., one, two, three or more desired trait(s),    -   (c) optionally selfing the F1 progeny one or more times to        produce F2, F3, or further generation selfing progeny,    -   (d) crossing the selected F1 progeny or the selfing progeny with        a plant of variety NUN 85190 to produce backcross progeny, and    -   (e) selecting backcross progeny comprising the desired trait(s)        and which otherwise has all or essentially all the physiological        and morphological characteristics of carrot variety NUN 85190,    -   (f) optionally, steps (d) and (e) can be repeated one or more        times, e.g., three or more times such as three, four, five, six        or seven times, in succession to produce higher backcross        progeny (e.g. selected fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh or eighth        or higher backcross progeny) that comprises the desired trait.        The invention also provides carrot plants produced by these        methods; a representative sample of seed of NUN 85190 having        been deposited under NCIMB/ATCC Accession Number ______.

In another aspect of the invention, a carrot plant of variety NUN 85190comprising an added heritable trait is provided, e.g., an EssentiallyDerived Variety of NUN 85190 having one, two or three physiologicaland/or morphological characteristics which are different from those ofNUN 85190 and which otherwise has all the physiological andmorphological characteristics of NUN 85190, wherein a representativesample of seed of variety NUN 85190 has been deposited under NCIMB/ATTCAccession Number ______. The heritable trait may comprise a geneticlocus that is, for example, a dominant or recessive allele (optionallyincluding epigenetic modifications). In one embodiment of the invention,a plant of the invention is defined as comprising a single locusconversion. For example, one, two, three or more heritable traits may beintrogressed at any particular locus using a different allele thatconfers the new trait or traits of interest. In specific embodiments ofthe invention, the single locus conversion confers one or more traitssuch as, for example, herbicide tolerance, insect resistance, diseaseresistance and modulation of plant metabolism and metabolite profiles.In further embodiments, the trait may be conferred by a naturallyoccurring gene introduced into the genome of the variety bybackcrossing, a natural or induced mutation, a somaclonal variant, anoff-type, or a transgene introduced through genetic transformationtechniques into the plant or a progenitor of any previous generationthereof. When introduced through transformation, a genetic locus maycomprise one or more genes integrated at a single chromosomal location.Thus, the invention comprises a method of producing a plant comprisingan added desired trait, the method comprising introducing a transgeneconferring a desired trait into a plant of carrot variety NUN 85190.

In still yet another aspect, the invention provides a method ofdetermining the genotype of a plant of the invention comprisingdetecting in the genome of the plant at least a first polymorphism. Themethod may, in certain embodiments, comprise detecting a plurality ofpolymorphisms in the genome of the plant. For example, a sample ofnucleic acid is obtained from a plant and a polymorphism or a pluralityof polymorphisms is detected in said nucleic acids. The method mayfurther comprise storing the results of the step of detecting theplurality of polymorphisms on a computer readable medium.

In one embodiment of the invention, the invention provides a method forproducing a seed of a variety derived from NUN 85190 comprising thesteps of (a) crossing a carrot plant of variety NUN 85190 with a secondcarrot plant; and (b) allowing seed of a variety NUN 85190-derivedcarrot plant to form. This method can further comprise steps of (c)crossing a plant grown from said variety NUN 85190-derived carrot seedwith itself or a second carrot plant to yield additional variety NUN85190-derived carrot seed; (d) growing said additional variety NUN85190-derived carrot seed of step (c) to yield additional variety NUN85190-derived carrot plants; and optionally (e) repeating the crossingand growing steps of (c) and (d) to generate further variety NUN85190-derived carrot plants, e.g. one or more times such as two times,three times, three or more times such as four times, five times, sixtimes, seven times or even more times. For example, the second carrotplant is of an inbred carrot variety, or alternatively, the secondcarrot plant in step c) is NUN 85190 or the male or female parent plantof NUN 85190.

In still yet another aspect, the present invention provides a method ofproducing a plant or a seed derived from variety NUN 85190, the methodcomprising the steps of: (a) preparing a progeny plant derived from saidvariety by crossing a plant of variety NUN 85190 with a second plant;and (b) allowing seed of a variety NUN 85190-derived carrot plant toform. In one embodiment, the second plant is a plant of an inbred lineor of a wild accession of Daucus carota.

The method may additionally comprise: (c) crossing a plant grown fromsaid variety NUN 85190-derived carrot seed with itself or a secondcarrot plant to yield additional variety NUN 85190-derived carrot seed;(d) growing said additional variety NUN 85190-derived carrot seed ofstep (c) to yield additional variety NUN 85190-derived carrot plants;and optionally (e) repeating the crossing and growing steps of (c) and(d) to generate further variety NUN 85190-derived carrot plants. Forexample, steps (c) and (d) may be repeated one or more times such asone, two, three, four, five or six, seven, eight, nine, ten, or moretimes to produce a further plant derived from the aforementionedstarting variety. The further plant derived from variety NUN 85190 maybe an inbred variety, and the aforementioned repeated crossing steps maybe defined as comprising sufficient inbreeding to produce the inbredvariety. In the method, it may be desirable to select particular plantsresulting from step (c) for continued crossing according to steps (b)and (c). By selecting plants having one or more desirable traits, aplant is obtained which possesses some of the desirable traits of thestarting plant as well as potentially other selected traits.

In certain embodiments, the present invention provides a method ofproducing a carrot root comprising: (a) obtaining a plant of theinvention, wherein the plant has been cultivated to maturity, and (b)collecting a carrot from said plant.

The invention also provides for a food or feed product comprising orconsisting of a plant part described herein preferably a carrot root orpart thereof and/or an extract from a plant part described herein. Thefood or feed product may be fresh or processed, e.g., canned, dried,steamed, boiled, fried, blanched and/or frozen, etc.

In still another embodiment the invention relates to a seed or plantproduced by selfing a plant of the invention.

In another aspect the invention refers to packages, e.g., a container, abag and the like, comprising at least one of the following: seeds orseed pellets of carrot variety designated NUN 85190, carrot plant(s)designated NUN 85190, parts thereof (e.g. roots), progeny of a carrotplant designated NUN 85190, parts thereof, EDV of a plant designated NUN85190 or parts thereof.

In one embodiment any of the plant of the invention comprises at least3, 4, 5 or more of the following (average) morphological and/orphysiological characteristics: 1) average carrot length (minus taproot)of between about 18 and about 26 cm, or preferably between about 19 and25 cm, or between about 20 and 24, or between about 21 and 23 or evenbetween about 21.5 and 22.5 cm; 2) a root cortex (phloem) thickness(midpoint cross-section) of between 3.7 and 5.1 mm, or preferablybetween about 3.9 and 4.5 mm,or between 4.1 and 4.7 mm, or even betweenabout 4.3 and 4.5 mm; 3) a root core (xylem) thickness (midpointcross-section) of between about 20 and 24 mm, or preferably betweenabout 21 and 23 mm, or even more preferably between about 21.5 and 22.5mm; 4) a length of taproot of at least about 52 cm, or preferably atleast about 50 cm, 55 cm, 57.5 cm, 60 cm, 61 cm, 62 cm or even about62.5 cm; 5) a plant top height (from shoulder to top of crown) that isbetween about 40 and 55 cm, or more preferably between about 42 and 53cm, or between about 44 and 52 cm, or between about 46 and 49 cm orbetween about 46.7 and about 48.7 cm or even between about 47.2 and 52.2cm; 6) a plant habit that is erect rather than semi-erect; 7) a petiolelength from crown to first pinna that is between about 25.8 and about 30cm, or preferably between about 26.8 and about 29.8 cm, or even morepreferably between about 27.3 cm and about 28.3 cm; 8) a root at marketmaturity with a faint halo; 9) a root at market maturity with faintzoning; 10) a medium green leaf blade color, e.g. RHS Yellow Green 147B.

In another aspect a carrot plant of the invention has a Brix level thatis at least about 8, or preferably at least about 8.25, 8.5, 8.75, 8.9,9.0, 9.1 or even at least about 9.2.

Another aspect refers to a carrot plant, or a part thereof, having allor essentially all the physiological and morphological characteristicsof a carrot plant of carrot variety NUN 85190 when grown under the sameconditions.

The root of carrot variety NUN 85190 has an orange color.

Also provided are one or more progeny plants (offspring or descendants)of a carrot plant designated NUN 85190 obtained by further breeding withsaid variety designated NUN 85190. Said progeny plant(s) has/haveessentially all physiological and morphological characteristics ofvariety NUN 85190 when grown under the same environmental conditions. Inone embodiment, said progeny plant(s) has/have 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, ormore, or all of, the following (average) characteristics (see USDAdescriptors):

-   -   an Danvers type;    -   a plant top neck diameter of about 12 mm, preferably about 12.5        mm;    -   a single plant top attachment;    -   a fine leaf blade division;    -   an absent to very slight leaf petiole anthocyanin level;    -   an absent to very slight leaf petiole pubescence level;    -   a root diameter at shoulder of about 37.2 mm, e.g. between about        32 and 42 mm, or between 35 and 39 mm, or even between 36 and 38        cm;    -   a root diameter at midpoint of about 30 mm, e.g. between about        25 and 35 mm, or between 28 and 32 mm, or even between 29 and 31        cm;    -   a conic root shape;    -   a level root collar;    -   a medium root base;    -   few secondary root scars that are not prominent    -   a root with an orange below ground exterior color of shoulder        and skin    -   a root with an orange core color;

Any embodiment discussed herein with respect to one aspect of theinvention applies to other aspects of the invention as well, unlessspecifically noted.

General Definitions

In the description and tables herein, a number of terms are used. Inorder to provide a clear and consistent understanding of thespecification and claims, the following definitions are provided:

The term “about” is used to indicate that a value includes the standarddeviation of error for the device or method being employed to determinethe value.

The use of the term “or” in the claims is used to mean “and/or” unlessexplicitly indicated to refer to alternatives only or the alternativesare mutually exclusive, although the disclosure supports a definitionthat refers to only alternatives and to “and/or.”

When used in conjunction with the word “comprising” or other openlanguage in the claims, the words “a” and “an” denote “one or more”unless specifically noted.

The terms “comprise,” “have” and “include” are open-ended linking verbs.Any forms or tenses of one or more of these verbs, such as “comprises,”“comprising,” “has,” “having,” “includes” and “including,” are alsoopen-ended. For example, any method that “comprises,” “has” or“includes” one or more steps is not limited to possessing only those oneor more steps and also covers other unlisted steps. Similarly, any plantthat “comprises,” “has” or “includes” one or more traits is not limitedto possessing only those one or more traits and covers other unlistedtraits. The terms mentioned above also comprise the term “contain” whichis limited to specific embodiments. Thus, one embodiment of theinvention, when the terms “comprise,” “have” and “include” are used todescribe a plant, part thereof or a process, refers to an embodimentwherein the limiting term “contain” is used.

“Carrot” refers herein to a plant of the species Daucus carota and partsthereof, e.g., the (edible) root. The most commonly eaten part of acarrot is a root, although the greens are edible as well. A carrot is aroot vegetable plant, the root (carrot root) is usually orange in color,though purple, red, white, and yellow varieties exist, as well. At thetip of a carrot root is a thin taproot while at the other end (base) ofa carrot root the green is attached.

“Cultivated carrot” refers to plants of Daucus carota, i.e. varieties,breeding lines or cultivars of the species Daucus carota, cultivated byhumans and having good agronomic characteristics; preferably such plantsare not “wild plants”, i.e. plants which generally have much pooreryields and poorer agronomic characteristics than cultivated plants ande.g. grow naturally in wild populations. “Wild plants” include forexample ecotypes, PI (Plant Introduction) lines, landraces or wildaccessions or wild relatives of a species.

“USDA descriptors” are the plant variety descriptors described forcarrot in the “Objective description of Variety Carrot Daucus carota)”,ST-470-78 (as published by U.S. Department of Agriculture, AgriculturalMarketing Service, Science and Technology, Plant Variety ProtectionOffice, Beltsville, Md. 20705 (available on the world wide web atams.usda.gov/AMSv1.0/) and which can be downloaded from the world wideweb at ams.usda.gov/AMSv1.0/getfile?dDocName=STELDEV3002673.

“UPOV descriptors” are the plant variety descriptors described forcarrot in the “Guidelines for the Conduct of Tests for Distinctness,Uniformity and Stability, TG/49/8 (Geneva 2007), as published by UPOV(International Union for the Protection of New Varieties and Plants,available on the world wide web at upov.int) and which can be downloadedfrom the world wide web at upov.int/edocs/tgdocs/en/tg049.pdf and isherein incorporated by reference in its entirety.

“RHS” refers to the Royal Horticultural Society of England whichpublishes an official botanical color chart quantitatively identifyingcolors according to a defined numbering system, The chart may bepurchased from Royal Horticulture Society Enterprise Ltd RHS Garden;Wisley, Woking; Surrey GU236QB, UK, e.g., the RHS color chart: 2007 (TheRoyal Horticultural Society, charity No: 222879, PO Box 313 LondonSW1P2PE; sold by, e.g., TORSO-VERLAG, Obere Grüben 8• D-97877 Wertheim,Article-No.: Art62-00008 EAN-Nr.: 4250193402112).

“Core” refers to the phloem and xylem of the root, i.e the centralvascular tissue. “Cortex” refers to the non-vascular tissue surroundingthe core tissue.

“Genotype” refers to the genetic composition of a cell or organism.

“Phenotype” refers to the detectable characteristics of a cell ororganism, which characteristics are the manifestation of geneexpression.

As used herein, the term “plant” includes the whole plant or any partsor derivatives thereof, preferably having the same genetic makeup as theplant from which it is obtained, such as plant organs (e.g. harvested ornon-harvested carrot root), plant cells, plant protoplasts, plant celland/or tissue cultures from which whole plants can be regenerated, plantcalli, plant cell clumps, plant transplants, seedlings, hypocotyl,cotyledon, plant cells that are intact in plants, plant clones ormicropropagations, or parts of plants (e.g. harvested tissues ororgans), such as plant cuttings, vegetative propagations, embryos,pollen, ovules, flowers, leaves, seeds, clonally propagated plants,roots, taproots, stems, root tips, grafts, parts of any of these and thelike. Also any developmental stage is included, such as seedlings,cuttings prior or after rooting, mature plants, roots or leaves.Alternatively, plant part may also include a plant seed which comprisesone or two sets of chromosomes derived from the parent plant.

“Harvested plant material” refers herein to plant parts (e.g. a rootdetached from the whole plant) which have been collected for furtherstorage and/or further use.

“Harvested seeds” refers to seeds harvested from a line or variety, e.g.produced after self-fertilization or cross-fertilization and collected.

A plant having “(essentially) all the physiological and morphologicalcharacteristics” means a plant having essentially all or all thephysiological and morphological characteristics when grown under thesame environmental conditions of the plant of NUN 85190 from which itwas derived, e.g. the progenitor plant, the parent, the recurrentparent, the plant used for tissue- or cell culture, etc. The skilledperson will understand that a comparison between carrot varieties shouldoccur when said varieties are grown under the same environmentalconditions. For example, the plant may have all characteristicsmentioned in Table 1 when grown under the environmental conditionsoutlined herein with reference to the data of Table 1. In certainembodiments, the plant having “essentially all the physiological andmorphological characteristics” are plants having all the physiologicaland morphological characteristics of Table 1, except for certaincharacteristics, such as one, two or three, mentioned, e.g. thecharacteristic(s) derived from a converted or introduced gene or traitand/or except for the characteristics which differ in an EDV. So, theplant may have all characteristics mentioned in Table 1, except for one,two or three characteristics of Table 1, in which the plant may thusdiffer.

A plant having one or more or all “essential physiological and/ormorphological characteristics” or one or more “distinguishingcharacteristics” (such as one, two, three, four or five) refers to aplant having (or retaining) one or more, or all, or retaining all exceptone, two or three of the distinguishing characteristics mentioned inTable 1 when grown under the same environmental conditions thatdistinguish NUN 85190 from most similar variety BIG SUR. For example,such distinguishing characteristics being selected from (but not limitedto): 1)) average carrot length (minus taproot), 2) average root cortex(phloem) thickness (midpoint cross-section), 3) average root core(xylem) thickness (midpoint cross-section), 4) average taproot length,5) average plant top height (from shoulder to top of crown), 6) planthabit, 7) average petiole length, 8) halo, 9) zoning, 10) leaf bladecolor. The physiological and/or morphological characteristics mentionedabove are commonly evaluated at significance levels of 1%, 5%, 8% or 10%significance level, when measured under the same environmentalconditions. For example, a progeny plant of NUN 85190 may have one ormore (or all, or all except one, two or three) of the essentialphysiological and/or morphological characteristics of NUN 85190 listedin Table 1, or one or more or all (or all except one, two or three) ofthe distinguishing characteristics of NUN 85190 listed in Table 1 andabove, as determined at the 1% or 5% significance level when grown underthe same environmental conditions.

Physiological and/or morphological characteristics which are“substantially equivalent” or “not significantly different” or “notsignificantly differ” refers to a characteristic that, when compared,does not show a statistically significant difference (e.g., p≧0.05 usingANOVA (analysis of variance)) from the mean. Vice versa, “significantlydifferent” or “statistically significantly different” refers to acharacteristic that, when compared, does show a statisticallysignificant difference (e.g., p<0.05 using ANOVA) from the mean.

As used herein, the term “variety” or “cultivar” means a plant groupingwithin a single botanical taxon of the lowest known rank, whichgrouping, irrespective of whether the conditions for the grant of abreeder' s right are fully met, can be defined by the expression of thecharacteristics resulting from a given genotype or combination ofgenotypes, distinguished from any other plant grouping by the expressionof at least one of the said characteristics and considered as a unitwith regard to its suitability for being propagated unchanged.

The terms “gene converted” or “conversion plant” in this context referto carrot plants which are often developed by backcrossing whereinessentially all of the desired morphological and/or physiologicalcharacteristics of parent are recovered in addition to the one or moregenes transferred into the parent via the backcrossing technique or viagenetic engineering. Likewise a “Single Locus Converted (Conversion)Plant” refers to plants which are often developed by plant breedingtechniques comprising or consisting of backcrossing, wherein essentiallyall of the desired morphological and physiological characteristics of acarrot variety are recovered in addition to the characteristics of thesingle locus having been transferred into the variety via, e.g., thebackcrossing technique and/or by genetic transformation. Likewise, adouble loci converted plant/a triple loci converted plant refers toplants having essentially all of the desired morphological and/orphysiological characteristics of given variety, expect that at two orthree loci, respectively, it contains the genetic material (e.g., anallele) from a different variety.

A variety is referred to as an “Essentially Derived Variety” (EDV) i.e.,shall be deemed to be essentially derived from another variety, “theinitial variety” when (i) it is predominantly derived from the initialvariety, or from a variety that is itself predominantly derived from theinitial variety, while retaining the expression of the essentialcharacteristics that result from the genotype or combination ofgenotypes of the initial variety; (ii) it is clearly distinguishablefrom the initial variety; and (iii) except for the differences whichresult from the act of derivation, it conforms to the initial variety inthe expression of the essential characteristics that result from thegenotype or combination of genotypes of the initial variety. Thus, anEDV may be obtained for example by the selection of a natural or inducedmutant, or of a somaclonal variant, or an off-type, or the selection ofa variant individual from plants of the initial variety, backcrossing,or transformation by genetic engineering. Such a variant may be selectedat any time, e.g. in the field or greenhouse, during breeding, during orafter in vitro culture of cells or tissues, during regeneration ofplants, etc. The term EDV, thus, also encompassed a “phenotypic variant”derived from NUN 85190 seed, plant tissue or cells. In one embodiment,an EDV is a gene converted plant.

“Plant line” is for example a breeding line which can be used to developone or more varieties.

“Hybrid variety” or “F1 hybrid” refers to the seeds of the firstgeneration progeny of the cross of two non-isogenic plants. For example,the female parent is pollinated with pollen of the male parent toproduce hybrid (F1) seeds on the female parent.

“Progeny” as used herein refers to plants derived from a plantdesignated NUN 85190. Progeny may be derived by regeneration of cellculture or tissue culture or parts of a plant designated NUN 85190 orselfing of a plant designated NUN 85190 or by producing seeds of a plantdesignated NUN 85190. In further embodiments, progeny may also encompassplants derived from crossing of at least one plant designated NUN 85190with another carrot plant of the same or another variety or (breeding)line, or with a wild carrot plant, backcrossing, inserting of a locusinto a plant or selecting a plant comprising a mutation or selecting avariant. A progeny is, e.g., a first generation progeny, i.e. theprogeny is directly derived from, obtained from, obtainable from orderivable from the parent plant by, e.g., traditional breeding methods(selfing and/or crossing) or regeneration. However, the term “progeny”generally encompasses further generations such as second, third, fourth,fifth, sixth, seventh or more generations, i.e., generations of plantswhich are derived from, obtained from, obtainable from or derivable fromthe former generation by, e.g., traditional breeding methods,regeneration or genetic transformation techniques. For example, a secondgeneration progeny can be produced from a first generation progeny byany of the methods mentioned above. Especially progeny of NUN 85190which are EDVs or which retain all (or all except 1, 2 or 3)physiological and/or morphological characteristics of NUN 85190 listedin Table 1, or which retain all (or all except 1, 2, or 3) of thedistinguishing characteristics of NUN 85190 described elsewhere hereinand in Table 1, are encompassed herein.

The term “traditional breeding techniques” encompasses herein crossing,selfing, selection, double haploid production, embryo rescue, protoplastfusion, marker assisted selection, mutation breeding etc. as known tothe breeder (i.e. methods other than geneticmodification/transformation/transgenic methods), by which, for example,a genetically heritable trait can be transferred from one carrot line orvariety to another.

“Crossing” refers to the mating of two parent plants.

“Cross-pollination” refers to the fertilization by the union of twogametes from different plants.

“Backcrossing” is a traditional breeding technique used to introduce atrait into a plant line or variety. The plant containing the trait iscalled the donor plant and the plant into which the trait is transferredis called the recurrent parent. An initial cross is made between thedonor parent and the recurrent parent to produce progeny plants. Progenyplants which have the trait are then crossed to the recurrent parent.After several generations of backcrossing and/or selfing the recurrentparent comprises the trait of the donor. The plant generated in this waymay be referred to as a “single trait converted plant”.

“Selfing” refers to self-pollination of a plant, i.e., the transfer ofpollen from the anther to the stigma of the same plant.

“Regeneration” refers to the development of a plant from cell culture ortissue culture or vegetative propagation.

“Vegetative propagation”, “vegetative reproduction” or “clonalpropagation” are used interchangeably herein and mean the method oftaking part of a plant and allowing that plant part to form at leastroots where plant part is, e.g., defined as or derived from (e.g. bycutting of) leaf, pollen, embryo, cotyledon, hypocotyl, cells, nodes,protoplasts, meristematic cell, root, root tip, pistil, anther, flower,shoot tip, shoot, stem, petiole, etc. When a whole plant is regeneratedby vegetative propagation, it is also referred to as a vegetativepropagation.

The term “locus” (loci plural) means a specific place or places or asite on a chromosome where for example a gene or genetic marker isfound. “Linkage” or “genetic linkage” is the tendency of genes ormolecular markers that are located proximal to each other on achromosome to be inherited together during meiosis. Genes or molecularmarkers whose loci are nearer to each other are less likely to beseparated onto different chromatids during chromosomal crossover, andare therefore said to be genetically linked

“Marker” or “molecular marker” refers to a readily detectable DNAsequence or nucleotide, which may be genetically closely linked to agene or locus. Such closely linked markers can be used in MAS (markerassisted selection) of the gene or locus.

“Marker assisted selection” or “MAS” is a process of using the presenceof molecular markers, which are genetically linked to a particular locusor to a particular chromosome region, to select plants for the presenceof the specific locus or region.

The term “allele(s)” means any of one or more alternative forms of agene at a particular locus, all of which alleles relate to one trait orcharacteristic at a specific locus. In a diploid cell of an organism,alleles of a given gene are located at a specific location, or locus(loci plural) on a chromosome. One allele is present on each chromosomeof the pair of homologous chromosomes. A diploid plant species maycomprise a large number of different alleles at a particular locus.These may be identical alleles of the gene (homozygous) or two differentalleles (heterozygous).

As used herein, the terms “resistance” and “tolerance” are usedinterchangeably to describe plants that show no symptoms orsignificantly reduced symptoms to a specified biotic pest, pathogen,abiotic influence or environmental condition. These terms are also usedto describe plants showing some symptoms but that are still able toproduce marketable product with an acceptable yield. “Tissue Culture”refers to a composition comprising isolated cells or tissues of the sameor a different type or a collection of such cells organized into partsof a plant.

“Transgene” or “chimeric gene” refers to a genetic locus comprising aDNA sequence which has been introduced into the genome of a carrot plantby transformation. A plant comprising a transgene stably integrated intoits genome is referred to as “transgenic plant”.

“Average” refers herein to the arithmetic mean.

The term “mean” refers to the arithmetic mean of several measurements.The skilled person understands that the appearance of a plant depends tosome extent on the growing conditions of said plant. Thus, the skilledperson will know typical growing conditions for carrot described herein.The mean, if not indicated otherwise within this application, refers tothe arithmetic mean of measurements on at least 10 different, randomlyselected plants or plant parts of a variety or line.

Seeds

Also provided are seeds of carrot variety NUN 85190, i.e. seeds fromwhich the variety can be grown.

In one embodiment, a plurality of NUN 85190 seeds are packaged intosmall and/or large containers (e.g., bags, cartons, cans, etc.). Seedsmay be treated with one or more chemical compounds and/or biologicalcontrol and/or crop protection agents (e.g. to improved germination,insecticidal-, acaricidal-, nematicidal-, moluscicidal- orfungicidal-compounds or compositions, etc.) and/or seeds may be primed.Biological control agents are one or more microorganisms which protectthe seed or seedling against pathogens. For example, strains of bacteriaand/or fungi, such as bacteria of the species of Streptomyces,Pseudomonas, Bacillus and Enterobacter or fungi of the speciesPhomopsis, Ectomycorrhizae, Trichoderma, Cladosporium and Gliocladium.In another embodiment, seeds may additionally be (film-) coated orpelleted.

Priming is a water-based process that is performed on seeds to increaseuniformity of germination and emergence from the soil, and thus enhancevegetable stand establishment. Methods how to prime carrot seeds arewell known in the art, see WO2008/107097, describing different primingmethods, such as hydro-priming (including drum-priming), osmopriming andsolid-matrix priming, which can be used. The priming process may also becombined with the chemical compounds or compositions and/or biologicalcontrol agent treatment, so seeds may e.g. be hydrated in a first step,dried in a second step and treated in a third step with one or more seedtreatment compounds or compositions. Priming is also sometimes referredto as seed conditioning.

Hydropriming includes those techniques in which seeds are allowed totake up water for a short period or at low temperatures, mostly at amplewater supply. These techniques are sometimes also referred to as soakingor steeping. With osmopriming, the seeds are exposed to an osmoticsolution (see e.g. WO2008/107097).

With solid matrix priming (SMP), seeds are mixed with water and solidcarriers. Examples of solid carriers are vermiculite and diatomaceoussilica products. The water is taken up by the seeds as well as absorbedon the solid particle surfaces, which in this way control the wateruptake of the seeds. In addition to using particle-like carriers, SMPcan be carried out using, amongst others, moist towels, gunny bags,moist sand, sterilised compost or press mud as well.

(Film-)coating is a method for seed enhancement well known in the art.Seed is enveloped, aiming at one or more of the following effects:improving the germination characteristics, providing various additives,protecting the seeds, preventing dust formation, improve cosmeticappearance and/or field visibility or adjusting the seed shape or sizeto make it more suitable for automated handling. The seed is (film-)coated with a composition generally comprising a binder and optionallyone or more active ingredients. (Film-)coating procedures available topersons skilled in the art include drum coaters, fluidized bedtechniques, rotary coaters, spouted beds and film-forming compositions.(Film-)coats can be applied directly on seed or as an additional layeron seed that already has an envelope.

Pelleting is another method for seed enhancement, well known in the art.Clay and/or other materials, optionally mixed with a binder and/or otheradditives are applied to the seed, enveloping it and providing improveduniformity of shape and size as well as increasing weight or density forautomated handling Additional effects may include: improving germinationcharacteristics, providing various additives, protecting seeds,improving cosmetic appearance and/or field visibility. Procedures forpelleting seeds known to persons skilled in the art include the use drumpelleters, rotating pelleting machines and seed coating systems.

So, in one aspect seeds of NUN 85190 are provided wherein said seeds areprimed seeds and/or (film-)coated seeds and/or pelleted seeds and/orchemically and/or biologically treated seeds, comprising one or morechemical compounds or compositions and/or one or more biological controlagents, selected from the group consisting of: a compound that improvesgermination, an insecticidal compound, a moluscicidal compound, anacaricidal compound, a nematicidal compound, and a fungicidal compound.

Breeding with Carrot Plants of the Invention

One aspect of the current invention concerns methods for crossing acarrot variety provided herein with itself or a second carrot plant andthe seeds and plants produced by such methods. These methods can be usedfor propagation of a variety provided herein, or can be used to producehybrid carrot seeds and the plants grown therefrom. Such hybrid seedscan be produced by crossing two parent lines or varieties to produce thehybrid variety.

In one embodiment of the invention, the first step in “crossing”comprises planting seeds of a first and a second parent carrot plant,often in proximity so that pollination will occur for example, mediatedby insect vectors. Alternatively, pollen can be transferred manually.Where the plant is self-pollinated, pollination may occur without theneed for direct human intervention other than plant cultivation.

A second step may comprise cultivating or growing the seeds of the firstand the second parent carrot plants into plants that bear flowers. Athird step may comprise preventing self-pollination of the plants.Self-incompatibility systems or male sterility (nuclear or cytoplasmicmale sterility) may be used in some hybrid crops for the same purpose.In the production of hybrid carrot varieties, cytoplasmic male sterility(CMS) is widely used (see Simon et al. 2008, infra). The CMS parent lineis cross pollinated with the pollen of the male-fertile parent line. TheF1 seeds, i.e. the seeds from which the hybrid carrot variety is grown,are harvested from the CMS parent line. They may then be dried andcleaned, primed, pelleted, (film-)coated and/or treated with chemicalcompounds (e.g. fungicides, nematicides, insecticides, etc.), beforebeing packaged for sale.

A fourth step for a hybrid cross may comprise cross-pollination betweenthe first and second parent carrot plants. In certain embodiments,pollen may be transferred manually or by the use of insect vectors. Yetanother step comprises harvesting the seeds from at least one of theparent carrot plants. The harvested seed can be grown to produce acarrot plant or hybrid carrot plant.

The development of new varieties using one or more starting varieties iswell known in the art. In accordance with the invention, a new hybridcross in carrots is developed by using cytoplasmic male sterility (CMS)(see, e.g. pages 337-338 in Simon et al. 2008, Chapter “Carrot” pp327-357; in the book “Vegetables II Volume 2, 2008,; ISBN978-0-387-74108-6).

Also in accordance with the invention, novel varieties may be created bycrossing a plant of the invention followed by multiple generations ofbreeding according to such well known methods. New varieties may becreated by crossing with any second plant. In selecting such a secondplant to cross for the purpose of developing novel varieties, it may bedesired to choose those plants that either themselves exhibit one ormore selected desirable characteristics or that exhibit the desiredcharacteristic(s) when in hybrid combination. Once initial crosses havebeen made, inbreeding and selection take place to produce new varieties.For development of a uniform variety, often five or more generations ofselfing and selection are involved.

Uniform varieties of new varieties may also be developed by way ofdouble-haploids. This technique allows the creation of true breedingvarieties without the need for multiple generations of selfing andselection. In this manner, true breeding varieties can be produced in aslittle as one generation. Haploid cells, such as microspores, pollen,anther cultures, or ovary cultures can be used. The chromosomes of thehaploid cells may then be doubled autonomously, or by chemicaltreatments (e.g. colchicine treatment).From the double-haploid cells,fertile homozygous plants are obtained. In accordance with theinvention, any of such techniques may be used in connection with a plantof the invention and progeny thereof to achieve a homozygous variety.

Backcrossing can also be used to improve an inbred plant. Backcrossingtransfers one or more heritable traits from one inbred or non-inbredsource to an inbred that lacks those traits. The exact backcrossingprotocol will depend on the characteristic(s) or trait(s) being alteredto determine an appropriate testing protocol. When the term variety NUN85190 is used in the context of the present invention, this alsoincludes plants modified to include at least a first desired heritabletrait such as one, two or three desired heritable trait(s).

This can be accomplished, for example, by first crossing a superiorinbred (recurrent parent) to a donor inbred (non-recurrent parent),which carries the appropriate genetic information (e.g., an allele) atthe locus or loci relevant to the trait in question. The progeny of thiscross are then mated back to the recurrent parent followed by selectionin the resultant progeny (first backcross generation, or BC1) for thedesired trait to be transferred from the non-recurrent parent. Afterfive or more backcross generations with selection for the desired trait,the progeny are heterozygous at loci controlling the characteristicbeing transferred, but are like the superior parent for most or almostall other loci. The last backcross generation would be selfed to givepure breeding progeny for the trait being transferred.

The parental carrot plant which contributes the desired characteristicor characteristics is termed the non-recurrent parent because it can beused one time in the backcross protocol and therefore need not recur.The parental carrot plant to which the locus or loci from thenon-recurrent parent are transferred is known as the recurrent parent asit is used for several rounds in the backcrossing protocol.

Many single locus traits have been identified that are not regularlyselected for in the development of a new inbred but that can be improvedby backcrossing techniques. Single locus traits may or may not betransgenic; examples of these traits include, but are not limited to,male sterility, herbicide resistance, resistance to bacterial, fungal,or viral disease, insect resistance, restoration of male fertility,modified fatty acid or carbohydrate metabolism and enhanced nutritionalquality. These comprise genes generally inherited through the nucleus.

Direct selection or screening may be applied where the single locus(e.g. allele) acts in a dominant fashion. For example, when selectingfor a dominant allele providing resistance to a bacterial disease, theprogeny of the initial cross can be inoculated with bacteria prior tothe backcrossing. The inoculation then eliminates those plants which donot have the resistance, and only those plants which have the resistanceallele are used in the subsequent backcross. This process is thenrepeated for all additional backcross generations.

Although backcrossing methods are simplified when the characteristicbeing transferred is a dominant allele, recessive, co-dominant andquantitative alleles may also be transferred. In this instance, it maybe necessary to introduce a test of the progeny to determine if thedesired locus has been successfully transferred. In the case where thenon-recurrent variety was not homozygous, the F1 progeny would not beequivalent. F1 plants having the desired genotype at the locus ofinterest could be phenotypically selected if the corresponding trait wasphenotypically detectable in a heterozygous or hemizygous state. In thecase where a recessive allele is to be transferred and the correspondingtrait is not phenotypically detectable in the heterozygous of hemizygousstate, the resultant progeny can be selfed, or crossed back to the donorto create a segregating population for selection purposes.Non-phenotypic tests may also be employed. Selected progeny from thesegregating population can then be crossed to the recurrent parent tomake the first backcross generation (BC1).

Molecular markers may also be used to aid in the identification of theplants containing both a desired trait and having recovered a highpercentage of the recurrent parent's genetic complement. Selection ofcarrot plants for breeding is not necessarily dependent on the phenotypeof a plant and instead can be based on genetic investigations. Forexample, one can utilize a suitable genetic marker which is closelygenetically linked to a trait of interest. One of these markers can beused to identify the presence or absence of a trait in the offspring ofa particular cross, and can be used in selection of progeny forcontinued breeding. This technique is commonly referred to as markerassisted selection. Any other type of genetic marker or other assay thatis able to identify the relative presence or absence of a trait ofinterest in a plant can also be useful for breeding purposes. Proceduresfor marker assisted selection applicable to the breeding of carrot arewell known in the art. Such methods will be of particular utility in thecase of recessive traits and variable phenotypes, or where conventionalassays may be more expensive, time consuming or otherwisedisadvantageous. Types of genetic markers which could be used inaccordance with the invention include, but are not necessarily limitedto, Simple Sequence Length Polymorphisms (SSLPs), Simple SequenceRepeats (SSR), Randomly Amplified Polymorphic DNAs (RAPDs), DNAAmplification Fingerprinting (DAF), Sequence Characterized AmplifiedRegions (SCARs), Arbitrary Primed Polymerase Chain Reaction (AP-PCR),Amplified Fragment Length Polymorphisms (AFLPs), and Single NucleotidePolymorphisms (SNPs).

Carrot varieties can also be developed from more than two parents. Thetechnique, known as modified backcrossing, uses different recurrentparents during the backcrossing. Modified backcrossing may be used toreplace the original recurrent parent with a variety having certain moredesirable characteristics or multiple parents may be used to obtaindifferent desirable characteristics from each.

The variety of the present invention is particularly well suited for thedevelopment of new varieties based on the elite nature of the geneticbackground of the variety. In selecting a second plant to cross with NUN85190 for the purpose of developing novel carrot varieties, it willtypically be preferred to choose those plants that either themselvesexhibit one or more selected desirable characteristics or that exhibitthe desired characteristic(s) when in hybrid combination. Examples ofdesirable characteristics may include, but are not limited to herbicidetolerance, pathogen resistance (e.g., insect resistance, nematoderesistance, resistance to bacterial, fungal, and viral disease),cytoplasmic male sterility (CMS), improved harvest characteristics,enhanced nutritional quality, increased antioxidant content, improvedprocessing characteristics, high yield, improved characteristics relatedto the carrot root flavor, texture, size, shape, durability, shelf life,and yield, increased soluble solids content, uniform ripening, delayedor early ripening, seedling vigor, adaptability for soil conditions, andadaptability for climate conditions.

Plants of the Invention Derived by Genetic Engineering

Many useful traits that can be introduced by backcrossing, as well asdirectly into a plant, are those that are introduced by genetictransformation techniques. Genetic transformation may therefore be usedto insert a selected transgene into the carrot variety of the inventionor may, alternatively, be used for the preparation of varietiescontaining transgenes that can be subsequently transferred to thevariety of interest by crossing. Methods for the transformation ofplants, including carrot, are well known to those of skill in the art.Techniques which may be employed for the genetic transformation ofcarrot include, but are not limited to Agrobacterium-mediatedtransformation, microprojectile bombardment, direct DNA uptake byprotoplasts and electroporation.

The most common system utilizes Agrobacterium-mediated transfer forintroducing gene loci into plant cells of Daucus carota (see, e.g.,Rafal Baranski, 2008). An advantage of the technique is that DNA can beintroduced into whole plant tissues, thereby bypassing the need forregeneration of an intact plant from a protoplast. Modern Agrobacteriumtransformation vectors are capable of replication in E. coli as well asAgrobacterium, allowing for convenient manipulations. Moreover, recenttechnological advances in vectors for Agrobacterium-mediated genetransfer have improved the arrangement of genes and restriction sites inthe vectors to facilitate the construction of vectors capable ofexpressing various polypeptide coding genes. The vectors described haveconvenient multi-linker regions flanked by a promoter and apolyadenylation site for direct expression of inserted polypeptidecoding genes. Additionally, Agrobacterium containing both armed anddisarmed Ti genes can be used for transformation.

Exemplary nucleic acids which may be introduced to the carrot varietiesof this invention include, for example, DNA sequences or genes fromanother species, or even genes or sequences which originate with or arepresent in the same species, but are incorporated into recipient cellsby genetic engineering methods rather than classical reproduction orbreeding techniques. However, the term “exogenous” is also intended torefer to genes that are not normally present in the cell beingtransformed, or perhaps simply not present in the form, structure, etc.,as found in the transforming DNA segment or gene, or genes which arenormally present and that one desires to express in a manner thatdiffers from the natural expression pattern, e.g., to over-express.Thus, the term “exogenous” gene or DNA is intended to refer to any geneor DNA segment that is introduced into a recipient cell, regardless ofwhether a similar gene may already be present in such a cell. The typeof DNA included in the exogenous DNA can include DNA which is alreadypresent in the plant cell, DNA from another plant, DNA from a differentorganism, or a DNA generated externally, such as a DNA sequencecontaining an antisense message of a gene, or a DNA sequence encoding asynthetic or modified version of a gene.

Many hundreds if not thousands of different genes are known and couldpotentially be introduced into a carrot plant according to theinvention. Non-limiting examples of particular genes and correspondingphenotypes one may choose to introduce into a carrot plant include oneor more genes for insect tolerance, such as a Bacillus thuringiensis(B.t.) gene, fungal disease tolerance, herbicide tolerance such as genesconferring glyphosate tolerance or glufosinate tolerance, and genes forquality improvements such as yield, nutritional enhancements,environmental or stress tolerances, or any desirable changes in plantphysiology, growth, development, morphology or plant product(s).

Still yet another aspect of the invention refers to the geneticcomplement of a carrot plant variety of the invention. The phrase“genetic complement” is used to refer to the aggregate of nucleotidesequences, the expression of which defines the phenotype of, in thepresent case, a carrot plant of, or a cell or tissue of that plant. Agenetic complement thus represents the genetic makeup of a cell, tissueor plant, and a hybrid genetic complement represents the genetic make-upof a hybrid cell, tissue or plant. The invention thus provides carrotplant cells that have a genetic complement in accordance with the carrotplant cells disclosed herein, and plants, seeds and plants containingsuch cells.

Plant genetic complements may be assessed by genetic marker profiles,and by the expression of phenotypic traits that are characteristic ofthe expression of the genetic complement, e.g., gene expressionprofiles, gene product expression profiles and isozyme typing profiles.It is understood that a plant of the invention or a first generationprogeny thereof could be identified by any of the many well-knowntechniques such as, for example, Simple Sequence Length Polymorphisms(SSLPs), Randomly Amplified Polymorphic DNAs (RAPDs), DNA AmplificationFingerprinting (DAF), Sequence Characterized Amplified Regions (SCARs),Arbitrary Primed Polymerase Chain Reaction (AP-PCR), Amplified FragmentLength Polymorphisms (AFLPs) (see, e.g., EP 534 858), and SingleNucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs).

In still yet another aspect, the present invention provides hybridgenetic complements, as represented by carrot plant cells, tissues,plants, and seeds, formed by the combination of a haploid geneticcomplement of a carrot plant of the invention with a haploid geneticcomplement of a second carrot plant, preferably, another, distinctcarrot plant. In another aspect, the present invention provides a carrotplant regenerated from a tissue culture that comprises a hybrid geneticcomplement of this invention.

Deposit Information

A total of 2500 seeds of the variety NUN 85190 were deposited accordingto the Budapest Treaty by Nunhems B. V. on ______, at the American TypeCulture Collection (ATCC), 10801 University Boulevard, Manassas, Va.20110-2209 USA or at the NCIMB Ltd., Ferguson Building, CraibstoneEstate, Bucksburn, Aberdeen AB21 9YA, United Kingdom (NCIMB). Thedeposit has been assigned Accession Number PTA ______ or NCIMB ______. Adeposit of NUN 85190 and of the male and female parent line is alsomaintained at Nunhems B.V. Access to the deposit will be availableduring the pendency of this application to persons determined by theDirector of the U.S. Patent Office to be entitled thereto upon request.Subject to 37 C.F.R. §1.808(b), all restrictions imposed by thedepositor on the availability to the public of the deposited materialwill be irrevocably removed upon the granting of the patent. The depositwill be maintained for a period of 30 years, or 5 years after the mostrecent request, or for the enforceable life of the patent whichever islonger, and will be replaced if it ever becomes nonviable during thatperiod. Applicant does not waive any rights granted under this patent onthis application or under the Plant Variety Protection Act (7 USC 2321et seq.).

Although the foregoing invention has been described in some detail byway of illustration and example for purposes of clarity andunderstanding, it will be obvious that certain changes and modificationsmay be practiced within the scope of the invention, as limited only bythe scope of the appended claims.

All references cited herein are hereby expressly incorporated herein byreference.

EXAMPLES Development of NUN 85190

The variety NUN 85190 was developed from a male and female proprietaryinbred line of Nunhems. The female and male parents were crossed toproduce hybrid (F1) seeds of NUN 85190. The seeds of NUN 85190 can begrown to produce hybrid plants and parts thereof (e.g. carrot roots).The hybrid NUN 85190 can be propagated by seeds or vegetatively.

The hybrid variety is uniform and genetically stable. This has beenestablished through evaluation of horticultural characteristics. Severalseed production events resulted in no observable deviation in geneticstability. Coupled with the confirmation of genetic stability of thefemale and male parents the Applicant concluded that NUN 85190 isuniform and stable.

BIG SUR is considered to be the reference variety to NUN 85190. BIG SURis a commercial variety from Nunhems. In Table 1 a comparison betweenNUN 85190 and BIG SUR is shown based on a trial in the USA. Triallocation: El Centro, Calif., USA (coordinates: 32°44′328″N 115°22′695″W)elevation 21 feet. Sowing date: 29 Sep. 2012, harvesting date: 12 Feb.2013.

Two replications of 50 plants each, from which 15 plants or plant partswere randomly selected, were used to measure characteristics. In Table 1the USDA descriptors of NUN 85190 (this application) and the referencevariety (commercial variety) are listed.

In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, there isprovided a plant having essentially all physiological and/ormorphological characteristics of carrot variety NUN 85190. A descriptionof the physiological and/or morphological characteristics of carrotvariety NUN 85190 is presented in Table 1.

Characteristics of NUN 85190

Table 1 shows the USDA descriptors of NUN 85190 and BIG SUR of a fieldtrial in California, US. The values are mean values.

TABLE 1 * USDA descriptor NUN BIG 85190 SUR 1. TYPE 1 = Amsterdam; 2 =Flakee; 3 = Berlicum; 4 = 5 5 Chantenay; 5 = Danvers; 6 = Imperator; 7 =Nantes; 8 = Other (Specify) 2. REGION OF ADAPTATION IN THE U.S.A.: 1 =Northeast; 2 = Northwest; 3 = Southeast; — — 4 = Southwest; 5 = NorthCentral; 6 = South Central; 7 = Most Regions 3. MARKET MATURITY No. Daysfrom Seeding to Harvest 136  136  4. PLANT TOP: (At Harvest Stage)Habit: 1 1/2 1 = Erect; 2 = Semi-erect; 3 = Prostrate Plant Top Height47.7 cm  37.2 cm  (from Shoulder to Top of Crown) Plant Top NeckDiameter 12.5 mm 12.6 mm Top Attachment: 1 1 1 = Single 2 = Multiple 5.LEAF: (At Harvest Stage) Name of Color Chart: RHS Colour Cart 2 1 BladeColor: 1 = Light Green; 2 = Medium Green; 3 = Dark Green; 4 = Other(Specify) Color Chart Value Yellow Yellow Green Green 147B 146B BladeDivisions: 1 1 1 = Fine; 2 = Medium; 3 = Coarse Blade Length (WithoutPetiole) 25.1 cm  23.8 cm  Petiole Length from Crown to First Pinna 27.8cm  30.1 cm  Petiole Anthocyanin: 1 1 1 = Absent; 2 = Present PetiolePubescence: 1 1 1 = Absent; 2 = Present 6. ROOT: (At Market Maturity)Cortex Thickness (Midpoint X-Section)  4.4 mm  5.2 mm Core Thickness(Midpoint X-Section)  22 mm  20 mm Carrot Length (Minus Taproot)  22 cm 18 cm Length of Taproot 62.5 mm 57.1 mm Diameter at Shoulder 37.2 mm37.8 mm Diameter at Midpoint 30.0 mm 29.9 mm Amount Exposed (AboveGround): 1 1 1 = None; 2 = 1-10%; 3 = 11-20%; 4 = 21-30%; 5 = 31-40%; 6= >40% Shape: 2 2 1 = Round; 2 = Conic; 3 = Cylindrical Collar: 2 2 1 =Sunken; 2 = Level; 3 = Square Shoulder: 1/3 1/3 1 = Rounded; 2 =Sloping; 3 = Square Base: 2 2 1 = Pointed; 2 = Medium; 3 = Blunt SurfaceSmoothness: 2 2 1 = Very Smooth; 2 = Dimpled or Corrugated Number ofSecondary Root Scars: 2 2 1 = None; 2 = Few; 3 = Many Appearance ofSecondary Root Scars: 1 1 1 = Not Prominent; 2 = Prominent Halo: 2 3 1 =None; 2 = Faint; 3 = Prominent Zoning: 2 3 1 = None; 2 = Faint; 3 =Prominent Flavor Harshness: — — 1 = Very Harsh; 2 = Moderately Harsh; 3= Mildly Harsh Flavor Sweetness: — — 1 = Not Sweet; 2 = ModeratelySweet; 3 = Very Sweet COLORS: Color choices: 1 = white; 2 = yellow; 3 =orange; 4 = red; 5 = green; 7 = salmon; 8 = light; 9 = dark; 10 = other;color examples: 02 = yellow; 34 = orange-red; 94 = dark red Name ofColor Chart: RHS Colour Chart Below Ground Exterior Color Shoulder 03 03Greyed- Greyed- Orange Orange 170A 170B Skin 03 03 Greyed- Greyed-Orange Orange 170A 170B X-Section Interior Color Core 03 03 1 = white, 2= yellow, 3 = orange 4 = Greyed- Greyed- red, 5 = purple, 6 = green, 7 =salmon, Orange Orange 8 = light, 9 = dark, 10 = other 170A 28A Phloem 0303 1 = white, 2 = yellow, 3 = orange 4 = Orange Orange red, 5 = purple,6 = green, 7 = salmon, 28A 28B 8 = light, 9 = dark, 10 = other 7. FLOWERFlower color — — Male Fertility: — — 1 = Fertile; 2 = Male-Sterile; 3 =Other Anthers: — — 1 = Normal; 2 = Petaloid; 3 = Other 8. DISEASEREACTIONS: (1 = Susceptible; 2 = Resistant; give races if known)Alternaria Blight — — Aster Yellows — — Cavity Spot — — CercosporaBlight — — Motley Dwarf Virus — — Powdery Mildew — — Pythium RootDieback — — Schelerotinia Decay — — Other (Specify) — — 9. INSECTREACTIONS: (1 = Susceptible; 2 = Resistant; give races if known) RootKnot Nematode — — Other (Specify) — — 10. PHYSIOLOGICAL REACTIONS: (1 =Susceptible and 2 = Resistant) Bolting — — Root Splitting — — * Theseare typical values. Values may vary due to environment. Other valuesthat are substantially equivalent are also within the scope of theinvention. — = not measured

Also the degree Brix was determined in NUN 85190 and in the most similarvariety BIG SUR.

The method used was as follows.

Carrot roots were stored at 40° F. and brought to room-temperature (72°F.). Roots were cut open horizontally. About 1 inch of root tissue wasgrated off the middle section of the cut-open roots (including cortexand core). The grated root tissue was placed into a garlic press and thejuice was squeezed onto a refractometer (model ATAGO PR-32 Palette).

NUN 85190 BIG SUR °Brix 9.2% 10.6%

All references cited herein are hereby expressly incorporated herein byreference.

CITED REFERENCES

USDA Exhibit C: on the world wide web atams.usda.gov/AMSv1.0/getfile?dDocName=STELDEV3002673

UPOV: on the world wide web at upov.int/edocs/tgdocs/en/tg049.pdf

Simon et al. 2008, Chapter “Carrot” pp 327-357; in the book “VegetablesII-Handbook of Plant Breeding Volume 2, 2008; ISBN 978-0-387-74108-6

Rafal Baranski (2008): Transgenic Plant Journal 2008 (2)1: 18-38.

WO2008/107097

EP 534 858

What is claimed is:
 1. A carrot plant, designated NUN 85190, or partthereof; a representative sample of seed of said variety having beendeposited under NCIMB/ATCC Accession Number ______.
 2. A seed of varietyNUN 85190, a representative sample of seed of said variety having beendeposited under NCIMB/ATCC Accession Number ______.
 3. A plant, or apart thereof, produced by growing the seed of claim
 2. 4. The part ofthe plant of claim 1, wherein the part is a seed, leaf, pollen, taproot,root, an ovule, or a cell.
 5. The plant part of claim 1, wherein thepart is a root.
 6. The plant part of claim 3, wherein the part is aroot.
 7. A carrot plant, or a part thereof, which does not significantlydiffer from the carrot plant of claim 1 in any of the distinguishingcharacteristics consisting of 1) average carrot length (minus taproot),2) average root cortex (phloem) thickness (midpoint cross-section), 3)average root core (xylem) thickness (midpoint cross-section), 4) averagetaproot length and 5) average plant top height (from shoulder to top ofcrown), when grown under the same conditions.
 8. A tissue or cellculture of regenerable cells of the plant of claim
 1. 9. The tissue orcell culture according to claim 8, comprising tissues or cells from aplant part selected from the group consisting of embryos, protoplast,meristems, nodes, petioles, cuttings, cotyledons, pollen, leaves,anthers, roots, root tips, taproots, pistils, flowers, seed, stalk andstem.
 10. A carrot plant regenerated from the tissue or cell culture ofclaim
 8. 11. The carrot plant of claim 10, having essentially all themorphological and physiological characteristics of NUN 85190, arepresentative sample of seed of said variety having been depositedunder NCIMB/ATCC Accession Number ______, when grown under the sameconditions.
 12. A method of vegetatively propagating the plant of claim1 comprising the steps of: a. collecting tissue or cells capable ofbeing propagated from a plant according to claim 1; b. cultivating saidtissue or cells of (a) to obtain proliferated shoots; and c. rootingsaid proliferated shoots to obtain rooted plantlets, or d. cultivatingsaid tissue or cells of (a) to obtain roots; and e. cultivating saidtissue or cells to obtain proliferated shoots, to obtain plantlets, andoptionally f. growing plants from said rooted plantlets.
 13. A method ofproducing a carrot plant, comprising crossing the plant of claim 1 witha second carrot plant one or more times, and selecting progeny from saidcrossing.
 14. A method of introducing a desired trait into a carrotplant comprising: a. crossing a plant of variety NUN 85190 with a secondcarrot plant that comprises a desired trait to produce F1 progeny ; b.selecting an F1 progeny that comprises a desired trait; c. optionallyselfing the F1 progeny one or more times to produce F2, F3, or furthergeneration selfing progeny, d. crossing the selected F1 progeny or theselfing progeny with a plant of variety NUN 85190 to produce backcrossprogeny; e. selecting backcross progeny comprising the desired trait andwhich otherwise has all or essentially all the physiological andmorphological characteristic of carrot variety NUN 85190; and optionallyf. repeating steps (d) and (e) one or more times in succession toproduce selected higher backcross progeny that comprise the desiredtrait; a representative sample of seed of NUN 85190 having beendeposited under NCIMB/ATCC Accession Number ______.
 15. A carrot plantproduced by the method of claim
 14. 16. A method of producing a carrotplant comprising an added desired trait, the method comprisingintroducing a transgene conferring the desired trait into a plant ofcarrot variety NUN 85190 a representative sample of seed of said varietyhaving been deposited under NCIMB/ATCC Accession Number ______.
 17. Amethod of determining the genotype of the carrot plant of claim 1comprising obtaining a sample of nucleic acids from said plant anddetecting in said nucleic acids a plurality of polymorphisms.
 18. Themethod of claim 17, further comprising the step of storing the resultsof detecting the plurality of polymorphisms on a computer readablemedium.
 19. A method for producing a seed of a variety derived from NUN85190 comprising the steps of: a. crossing a carrot plant of variety NUN85190 with a second carrot plant; and b. allowing seed of a variety NUN85190-derived carrot plant to form, a representative sample of seed ofNUN 85190 having been deposited under NCIMB/ATCC Accession Number______.
 20. The method of claim 19 further comprising the steps of: c.crossing a plant grown from said variety NUN 85190-derived carrot seedwith itself or a second carrot plant to yield additional variety NUN85190-derived carrot seed; d. growing said additional variety NUN85190-derived carrot seed of step (c) to yield additional variety NUN85190-derived carrot plants; and optionally e. repeating the crossingand growing steps of (c) and (d) to generate further variety NUN85190-derived carrot plants.
 21. The method of claim 19, wherein thesecond carrot plant is of an inbred carrot variety.
 22. A method ofproducing a carrot root comprising: (a) obtaining a plant according toclaim 1, wherein the plant has been cultivated to maturity; and (b)collecting the carrot root from the plant.
 23. A method of producing acarrot root comprising: (a) obtaining a plant according to claim 3,wherein the plant has been cultivated to maturity; and (b) collectingthe carrot root from the plant.
 24. A food or feed product comprising acarrot root, or parts thereof, of claim
 5. 25. A food or feed productcomprising a carrot root, or parts thereof, of claim
 6. 26. A food orfeed product comprising a carrot root collected in the method of claim22.
 27. A food or feed product comprising a carrot root collected in themethod of claim
 23. 28. A carrot seed or plant produced by selfing theplant of claim
 1. 29. A hybrid carrot seed or carrot plant produced bycrossing the plant of claim 1 with another carrot plant.
 30. A packagecomprising the seed of claim
 2. 31. An Essentially Derived Variety ofNUN 85190 having at least one, two or three physiological and/ormorphological characteristics which are different from those of NUN85190 and which otherwise essentially has all physiological andmorphological characteristics of a carrot plant designated NUN 85190, arepresentative sample of seeds of which having been deposited underAccession Number NCIMB ______ or PTA ______.
 32. A container comprisingthe carrot root of claim
 5. 33. A container comprising the carrot rootof claim
 6. 34. A container comprising the carrot root collected in themethod of claim
 22. 35. A containing comprising the carrot rootcollected in the method of claim 23.